Collapsible carton



Sept. 16, 1958 w. H. INMAN COLLAPSIBLE CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet -Filed Dec. 16, 1957 I 2 2 2 7 /1? m m m C... F E W 1 w w 9 31 m 4 3 l 2 4 O 3 4. L /6 9 Q 3 3 9 4 W W 3 V 5 2 m M I 4 3 his attorneys.

Sept. 16, 1958 w. H. INMAN COLLAPSIBLE CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16,1957

FIG.6

INVENTOK WILLIAM H. INMAN d SZMJ his attorneys.

Unite rates COLLAPSIBLE CARTON Application December 16, 1957, Serial No. 702,893

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 229 -51) This invention relates to collapsible cartons made of foldable sheet material such as paperboard or similar material, for holding ice cream or other frozen comestibles and the like, of the type having a self-erecting bottom as disclosed in the United States patent to William H. Inman, No. 2,655,304. Such cartons have commonly been made with top closure flaps having a tucked-in connection with each other for securing them together in closed position, or for use in combination with carrying handles, without however affording the tight closure and substantial sealing of the top closure provided by paper wrapping or foil covering of the carton, and one object of the present invention is to provide an improved carton of the type disclosed in the above patent but constructed to comprise top closure flaps which are tightly closed and effectively secured, as by glued attachment to one another so as to substantially seal the top closure after filling with the contents, as highly desirable for sanitary protection of the same.

Another object is to provide an improved carton having the above advantages and also capable of being conveniently opened to remove the contents, either by un-' folding the flaps closing one end to dip out the contents or by unfolding the side walls for slicing the contents or for bodily removal as a whole.

Still another object is to provide a carton of the charac ter described and capable of being economically manufactured in quantity production by known machines.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the inside face of a blank for i a carton embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing portions folded and supplied with adhesive;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, bottom plan view showing the blank completely folded and partially erected;

Fig. 4 is a perspective elevation showing the carton erected and filled, with its top flaps partly closed;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the carton completely closed;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the bottom flaps partly opened for dipping out the contents, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the closure wall, rear wall and part of the bottom flaps open for slicing or bodily removal of the contents.

The preferred embodiment of the invention, herein disclosed by way of illustration, is preferably made from a one-piece paperboard blank (Fig. 1) cut and scored to form front, side, rear and closure walls 10, 11, 12 and 13, respectively, separated by scored fold lines 14, 15 and 16, as shown. In the present instance, the blank is formed for a carton of rectangular shape, although it will be understood that it may be made to taper inwardly from top to bottom, as Well understood in the art. Closure wall 13 has a securing flap 17 foldably attached atent O v 2,852,180 Patented Sept. 16,1958

thereto along a score line 18. Either the inner portion .19 of the flap or the outer top edge of front wall 10 is closed, for example, in Bloomer Patent No. 2,133,946,

and Inman et al. Patent No. 2,655,304, and as well understood in the art. The securing flap is provided with a scored fold line 21 to provide an edge portion 22 left free of adhesive and adapted to be bent upwardly so that it may be grasped and pulled to separate the flap from the front wall, as generally disclosed in said patents.

Walls 10 to 13,.inclusive, are providedwith folda-bly connected top closure flaps 23, 24, 25 and 26, marked off from the body walls by folding score lines, as shown. Body walls 10 to 13, inclusive, are. provided at their opposite or bottom ends with bottom closure flaps 27, 2%, 29 and 30, marked off by scored fold lines, as shown. Flaps 27 and 29 are provided with scored fold lines 31 and 32, respectively, extending diagonally thereacross and separating each into two portions, as 33 and 34, so that each flap may be folded on itself about its score line and folded over the body wall with which it is connected, as shown in Fig. 2, and further described below.

The outer free edges of flaps 27 and 29 are provided with notches, 35 and 36, respectively, for positioning engagement with each other when the carton is erected, as shown in Fig. 5. Flap 27 has a small projecting part 37, Figs. 1 and 3, made flexible by a score line 38 for sliding engagement with the outer face of flap 30 (Fig. 3) during the erecting movement of the bottom. Flap 27 has also a projection 49 for engagement under the outer end of flap 29 to further guide the interengagement of the parts. Flap 28 is substantially rectangular and of substantially the cross-sectional size of the body, to substantially close the carton. Bottom flap 30 is smaller and is folded outside of flap 28. i

Closure Wall 13 and its securing flap 17 are formed with a scored tear line 39 (Fig. 1) extending thereacross adjacent the folding connection with top flap 26 and preferably parallel therewith and removed slightly inwardly therefrom, as shown. Tear line 39 extends from the free edge of the pull tab 22 of securing flap 1'7 across the closure wall and rear wall 12 to the fold line 15 which connects the rear wall to the side wall 11 for a purpose hereafter described. Rear wall 12 is formed with a scored fold line 40 extending substantially diagonally thereacross from a point 41 at or adjacent the inner end of tear line 39 of the closure wall to a point 42 at the remote bottom corner of the rear wall where its line of folding 15 with the bottom wall intersects the line of folding of the bottom flaps, as shown. The blank material may be paraflined or otherwise treated to make it moisture resistant, as well understood in the art.

In the manufacturing of the carton, bottom flaps 27 and 29 are folded upon themselves about their fold lines 31 and 32 respectively, and folded as a whole over the front wall 10 and rear wall 12, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2. The inner faces of the outer portions, as 34, of each flap are supplied with adhesive, as at 43, and adhesive is supplied to the inner surface of securing flap 17, as at 44. Inner bottom flap 28 is folded over side wall 11 and bottom flap 30 is folded over closure wall 13, as shown in Fig. 2. Front wall 10 with its bottom flap is then folded over side wall 11 and its infolded bottom flap 28 and closure wall 13 with its infolded bottom flap 30 is folded over the rear wall 12 with its infolded bottom flap 29.

This brings securing strip 17 over the edge of front wall Such folding and adhesive attachment of its parts produce the carton in collapsed and flat condition as desirable for storage and shipment and the carton is rapidly and conveniently erected by pressure against its opposite. corners 45 and 46 (Fig. 3) to distend and raise theparts.

to erected position shown in Fig. 4. In the collapsed condition, the bottom flap sections formed by the opposed inner and outer flaps 27 and-28 and 29 and 30, respectively, are folded inwardly between the body walls, while self-erecting manner described in said Patent No.-

The carton is filled, preferably in a filling machine, in the position shown in Fig. 4 with its top. closure flaps open. After filling, top flaps 24 and 26 are closed in that order and adhesive is applied to flap 23. Such adhesive is preferably applied in inner andouter bands 47 and 48, respectively, preferably about oneinch Wide, on both sides of the flap, as shown inFigs. 2 and 4, but may be applied to the outer side onlyand over a greater area if desired. Flap 23 is then folded down and adhesively secured to flaps 24 and 26. Flap 25 is then folded down over the other flaps and adhesively secured to flap 23, thus tightly closing and substantially sealingthe top end of the carton, against loosening in handling or by expansion of the contents in freezing. The carton as a whole is thus tightly closed and substantially sealed so as to obviate the need for a Wrapper of paper or-metal foil.

The carton has the further-advantages of being adapted for convenient opening, eitherto dip out a portion of the contents and return the remainder to the refrigerator, or to remove the contents by slicing or in abody. To open one end of the carton for dipping out the contents,

the outer ends, as 34, of the outer bottom flaps 27 --and' 29 may be conveniently grasped and pulled to separate the bottom flaps at their adhesively attached portions, the flaps being readily unfolded as indicated in Fig. 6, fordipping out the contents after. which the flaps may be refolded and the carton returned to the. refrigerator; On the other hand, where it is desired to obtain access to the whole body of the contents for'slicing or removal as a whole, the free outer edge 22 of securing flap 17 is conveniently grasped and pulled to tear the closure wall 13 along its tear line 39 to separate it in major'part from front wall and its adhesively retained top flap 26. Such opening movement of the closure Wall and the folding backwardly of the upper portion of the rear'wall 12 about its fold line 40 disconnects the opposed bottom flap sections, substantially as shown in Fig. 7, so as to effectively expose the contents for the purpose described.

The carton may be opened still more completely, if desired, by tearing apart, not only the closure wall 13, but also rear Wall 12 along tear line 39 as far as fold line at which the rear wall 12 is connected with the side wall 11. The major portions of closure wall 13 and of rear wall 12, to the right of tear line 39 may be folded back and down about fold line 15, below the positions shown in Fig. 7 and substantially into the plane of the side Wall 11 on which the carton rests, thereby fully exposing the contents on three sides except at the top of the carton. Such unfolding exposes the contents more fully for slicing or removal as a whole and also enables the contents to be removed with less of the compression and condensation which occurs where the contents are dipped or spooned out through the end of the carton, or even where removed fromthe position shown in Fig. 7.

The invention thus provides a carton which is capable of being economically manufactured from a minimum of material and by known machines. The carton is produced in collapsed and flat'condition, as convenient for storage and shipment. Nevertheless, the carton is rapidly and fully erected by pressure againstits opposite corners,

ready for filling, after which its top flaps are supplied with adhesive and folded down and secured in tightly closed condition as described and as shown in Fig. 5.

In addition to the above advantages, the carton is conveniently adapted either for opening its bottom end, as indicated in Fig. 6, for dipping out the contents, or for opening more fully by unfolding its sides, as shown in Fig. 7 or still more fully as described above, where it is desired to slice or remove the contents as a whole. The invention thus provides a carton which, without wrapping, is more tightly closed, to preserve its contents in a more sanitary and firmly frozen condition, while afiording at the same time a choice in the methods of opening conveniently adapted to the desired usage.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects and while it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a one-piece blank cut, scored and folded to form foldably connected front, rear, side and closure walls, a connection between said closure and front walls provided with means for separating the same, top and bottom closure flaps foldably connected with said walls at the opposite ends thereof, respectively, said top closure flaps being overlapped and adhesively secured together to tightly close the carton top, said bottom flaps being. arranged in pairs of opposed inner and outer fiaps, each of said outer flaps being attached to the adjacent inner flap for forming the bottom of the carton in two sections and being formed with a fold line and foldable inwardly about said fold line together with the attached inner flap upon movement of said walls to collapsed position, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement of said walls, a weakened tear line extending across said closure wall adjacent the top of the carton from the front edge of said closure wall to the folding connection thereof with said rear wall and said rear wall being formed with a weakened fold line extending obliquely thereacross from the end of said tear line of said closure wall, said closure wall being separable along said tear line and foldable with a portionof said rear wall about said fold line thereof for opening said closure and rear walls to open position for exposing the contents of said carton.

2. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a one-piece blank cut, scored and folded'to form foldably connected front, rear, side and closure walls, a securing strip hingedly connected to said closure wall and having a detachable adhesive connection to said front wall with a free edge portion adapted to be grasped and pulled for detachably connecting saidwalls together, top and bottom closure flaps foldably connected with said walls at the opposite ends thereof, respectively, said top closure flaps being overlapped and adhesively secured together to tightly close the carton top, said bottom flaps being arranged in pairsof opposed inner and outer flaps, each of said outer flaps being attached to the adjacent inner flap for forming the bottom of the carton in two sections and being formed with a fold line and foldable inwardly about said fold line together with the attached inner flap upon movement of said Walls to collapsed position, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement of said walls, a weakened tear line extending across said closure andrear walls adjacent the top of the carton from able rearwardly about the folding connection between said rear and side walls, for opening said closure and rear walls substantially into the plane of said side wall, for exposing the contents of said carton for slicing or bodily removal.

3. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a one-piece blank cut, scored and folded to form foldably connected front, rear, side and closure walls, a connection between said closure and front walls provided with means for separating the same, top and bottom closure flaps foldably connected with said walls at the opposite ends thereof, respectively, said top closure flaps being overlapped and adhesivcly secured together to tightly close the carton top, said bottom flaps being arranged in pairs of opposed inner and outer flaps, each of said outer flaps being attached to the adjacent inner flap for forming the bottom of the carton in two sections and being formed with a fold line and foldable inwardly about said fold line together with the attached inner flap upon movement of said walls to collapsed position, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement of said walls, a weakened tear line extending across said closure and rear walls adjacent the top of the carton from the front edge of said closure wall to the folding connection between said rear and side walls and said rear wall being formed with a weakened fold line extending obliquely thereacross from the outer end of said tear line in said closure wall, portions of said closure and rear walls being foldable rearwardly to open position for exposing the contents of said carton for slicing or bodily removal.

4. A collapsible carton having a se -erecting bottom comprising a one-piece blank cut, scored and folded to form foldably connected front, rear, side and closure walls, a connecting flap hingedly connected to said closure wall and having a detachable adhesive connection to said front wall, with a free edge portion adapted to be grasped and pulled for detachably connecting said walls together, top and bottom closure flaps foldably connected with said walls at the opposite ends thereof, respectively, said top closure flaps being overlapped and adhe'sively secured together to tightly close the carton top, said bottom flaps being arranged in pairs of opposed inner and outer flaps, each of said outer flaps being attached to the adjacent inner flap for forming the bottom of the carton in two sections and being formed with a fold line and foldable inwardly about said fold line together with the attached inner flap upon movement of said walls to collapsed position, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said Walls by erecting movement of said walls, the outer closure flap in each of said bottom sections having a freely projecting edge portion adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate the inner and outer flaps of each bottom section for opening the carton bottom for dipping out the contents thereof, a weakened tear line extending across said closure and rear walls adjacent the .top of the carton from the front edge of said securing flap to the folding connection of said closure and rear walls and said rear wall being formed with a weakened fold line extending substantially diagonally thereacross from the outer end of said tear line in said closure wall to the remote bottom corner of said rear wall, portions of said closure and rear walls being foldable rearwardly to open position for exposing the contents of said carton for slicing or bodily removal.

No references cited. 

